Ever seen a duck gliding smoothly on water, serene and poised above but furiously paddling below? That's pretty much the daily grind for event professionals. These masters of calm amid chaos adeptly navigate the wildest, weirdest, and most unexpected challenges—often armed with tools you'd never expect.
We've collected some of the most bizarre and ingenious solutions event professionals have concocted when faced with near disasters. From dodging bad weather to fixing last-minute mishaps, here's how they've "MacGyvered" their way out of trouble, turning potential catastrophes into memorial triumphs.
Ana Vargas, director of production, Sterling Engagements
"We’ve had so many moments when we’ve had to fix and adjust something on site, from wardrobe malfunctions to signage issues and even fixing decor. We have an amazing emergency kit fully stocked with anything and everything we might need for these situations—but there’s definitely been a few that have caught us off guard and we’ve had to improvise pretty quickly.Once, we were planning a balloon send-off at the end of the night. The balloons were delivered during the reception, but they didn’t add weights to the ends like requested. We were worried about all the guests letting their balloons fly off and having to deal with popped balloons all over the property the next day. Since there wasn’t enough time to run out and buy anything, we ended up taking an unused pack of tea lights from our emergency kit, taking off the metal case and the wick, and using them in place of washers as individual weights for each balloon!
Another time, we used a new dance floor wrap company, and when they left, we didn’t notice there were so many air bubbles in the wrap. We got down and dirty, and with an X-ACTO knife and a credit card, went through and smoothed everything out! Another example: We had a birthday event around Christmastime and had ordered printed cocktail napkins. It unfortunately got postponed because of COVID exposure, so we rescheduled it around Valentine’s Day. We really wanted to still use the napkins, so we ended up pulling out our Cricut machine and cutting out the new Valentine’s Day graphic on vinyl and ironed them on individually!"
Sarah Lema, director of sales and marketing, Mavinhouse Events
"Weather always gifts us with the biggest challenges, and sometimes it can get to the point where if you don't laugh you'll cry, and our team would much rather laugh. Like one recent event when a hurricane-style rainstorm came out of nowhere and derailed all our plans A, B, and C—and then the tent company hit a water line when adjusting the tent sides to be more protective.Food was blown off of plates during the trip from the catering tent to the dinner tables, and every umbrella was flipped inside out, but our guests on the dance floor were warm and dry—mostly because our team was having our own little dance party at the edges of the tent, complete with mops, ShamWows, and every extra absorbent cloth we could find, as we continuously swept water out of the tent. No one realized how bad the weather was until they left at the end of the night (and, of course, we had a team ready with umbrellas to escort guests to their cars)."
Jan Levie, CEO and creative director, Handy Entertainment
"I was directing a one-woman show a while back on a tight budget. The play was in French, and the sound op was Argentinian and kept missing cues. In desperation, I jury-rigged a string to her leg and pulled her leg when necessary."Mary Higbe, founder and CEO, In Your Pocket
"We were setting up for a trade show and our pallets were delivered. There was a box I didn't recognize; when we opened it, it was a mobility scooter (the kind that resembles a walker and has the seat that flips up and down). It absolutely wasn't ours. We reached out to the company to let them know since we don't want someone to go without a medical device they need. The company determined that it had already been reported as lost and told me to keep it. An intern assembled it on a whim—and in about 10 minutes it started coming in handy. Need to move something from the loading dock but can't use a dolly due to union rules? Get the scooter. Need to cut through a packed crowd relatively quickly? Get the scooter. Need to have a quick seat behind the scenes? Get the scooter."Marinda Freeman, owner, Marinda Freeman Event Consulting
"As an event designer, planner, and producer for 40 years, I’ve seen a lot of challenges that call for creative problem-solving on site! The first instance that comes to mind is a wedding I did years ago on an estate in Connecticut. I checked with the bride and bridesmaids as we were getting close to the time to start the ceremony. They were worried about slipping on the carpeted stairs as they came down for the ceremony. I raced to the kitchen and looked through the tools and found a cheese grater. I rushed back upstairs and grated the bottoms of all of their shoes. Problem solved! It’s the little things that make a difference."Rick Newman, CEO, UCON Exhibitions
"A client ordered a massive 6-meter backdrop featuring their CEO’s face for a trade show in Sydney, Australia. It was supposed to arrive two days before the event, but the freight company lost the package somewhere between Brisbane and Melbourne. With no time to reprint, we had to think fast. One of our team members had a projector in his car from a previous gig, so we borrowed a plain white fabric banner from another exhibitor, rigged it onto the frame, and projected the missing backdrop onto it. It worked so well that some attendees thought it was part of the original design. The CEO never even knew his face had been 'lost' in transit.Another time, we were setting up a display that required a massive LED screen, but the lift we needed to install it broke down an hour before the doors opened. There was no backup available, and waiting for a technician would have delayed everything. A team member spotted a guy walking past in an oversized suit jacket and had a wild idea. We borrowed the jacket, stuffed it with bubble wrap and fabric offcuts, and wrapped it around the metal frame we needed to hoist up. With some careful maneuvering and a lot of crossed fingers, we used the makeshift padding to push the screen into place without damaging anything. It held up for the entire event!"
Jenna Hansen, vice president of sales and special events, Proof of the Pudding
"Recently, we were at a South Florida event, servicing the tee boxes for golfers during a pro-am. When we opened our location, we realized that most of the product had been stolen overnight. Our first instinct was to send a blanket email to all vendors asking them to refrain from taking any products from open areas and to contact Proof of the Pudding directly if they needed food and beverages—pretty standard protocol when you’re dealing with outdoor events and large crowds.However, just before sending the email, we learned from an onlooker that the culprits were actually the local crows. It turned out the crows had developed a taste for bagged chips, fresh fruit, and protein bars. Like a flash mob, they swooped in and cleared out as much as they could carry. While the solution wasn’t as exciting as the problem—just storing the product in a more secure area until needed—it was definitely one for the books."
Alan Wight, founder and event producer, Cascade Productions
“We had one high-profile client whose daughter was having a wedding in a small rural church. We had already planned to set up an overflow marquee with a live video broadcast for the guests who wouldn’t fit in the church. The problem was that the church had no bells, and the bride and her father wanted them to ring as they left the ceremony. We installed a PA system with the kind of speakers we would usually use for a concert. No one had been into the church steeple for 40 years, and the sound engineer tested the system as usual with some heavy metal music—much to the amusement of the neighboring farmer!”Katie Rappaport, executive vice president, BMF
"We had some unexpected, biblical rainfall during a high-profile event in LA last year. Our venue had a section of exposed courtyard and we did not want to tent it because it would have obscured so much of the creative. So, we ended up getting corrugated polycarbonate sheets from Home Depot and building a flat roof atop the beams of the courtyard. It kept the rain at bay and preserved our design elements."Robert Krumbine, chief creative officer and senior vice president of programs and events, Charlotte Center City Partners
"Years ago, a balloon vendor forgot to bring anything to weigh down bouquets. I found the maintenance guy at the hotel and got a handful of drapery hooks, stuck them into the ballroom carpet, and tied off the bouquets. Voila!"Ashley Macey, account director, Vive Social & PR
“One time, we were putting on a launch party for a client in an art gallery, and as a surprise-and-delight moment, we had a massive custom paint-by-numbers done of the client’s new project. However, when unveiling the paint-by-numbers at the venue, we realized they did not include a drop cloth, which was paramount to the venue allowing it (as you can imagine, with all the expensive art around!). With one hour until the event, we ran around and eventually found king-size bedsheets at the store, cut them to size, taped them to the floor—and voila! No one was the wiser.”Joe Goldblatt, author, speaker, and professor of events
"Donald Trump owed me a balance of $100,000 for producing the opening of his first casino. The balance was due before showtime. I threatened to dismiss my 200-person cast unless cash (remember, it was a casino) or certified bank check was received in 30 minutes. From a crowd of 40,000 a man appears and suddenly hands me an envelope containing the check. Check is immediately deposited and all are paid. Would I have really dismissed the cast? Sometimes a good bluff is worth its weight in gold."Jason Keath, co-founder, Social Fresh Digital Marketing Agency
"At the Social Fresh conference in Orlando one year, both our badge printers stopped working. I knew one of our volunteers was a calligrapher on the side so we paid her extra to handwrite any last-minute attendee badges. She copied the same layout and font weight really well, and attendees loved it.Another one that comes to mind: We had a panel speaker whose earrings were hitting her headset mic and causing audio issues. There was a backup handheld mic, but how would we tell her to use it without interrupting? We decided our panel needed a full water refresh. As an audience member asked a question, a volunteer went out with new waters, and left a note beside her water with the new mic instructions. She saw it right away, switched mics, and our audio issue was no more."
Debra Mintmier, freelance meeting planner and field representative
"I once asked the lead at the Crescent hotel in Dallas to dig through three kitchen pantries for apple cider vinegar. The groom had food poisoning. He was on the dance floor in 30 minutes. Quiet heroes!"Billy Heany, owner, Limitless Event DJs
"My short story would be the time power went down on a remote beachfront property with 300 guests and I turned it into '80s sing-alongs for half an hour with nothing but battery uplights. But the biggest 'oh shit' is the time I went to a brand-new venue and was partaking in one of their appetizers when I looked to my assistant and said, 'Man, these are the spiciest tacos I've ever had.' He looked back at me and said, 'Bro, these aren't spicy at all'—when I put two and two together and realized the tingle on my lips and tongue was different than traditional spice. I ran over to the vendor and asked, 'What's in these tacos' when he says, 'My staff should be telling everyone these are walnut tacos.'I'm like an 11/10 on the allergy scale when it comes to walnuts. I downed two Benadryl, grabbed my EpiPen, and started running around to the most important people I could find and giving them tasks to do (around emceeing, timelines, playlists, and general things that were going to need to happen if I died or was out of the wedding). I took the EpiPen and hung out in the bridal suite on a couch for the next two hours, convincing people not to call an ambulance. (I'm paid to make people's weddings exciting—can't have the EMTs stealing my job!) Eventually, in my drugged-up state, I got back into the wedding just in time for the first dances and continued on like nothing had ever happened."
Alan Katz, owner, Great Officiants
"My company performs between 1,500 and 2,000 weddings a year. So, I have what’s known as the 'Trunk of Wonder'—bins of stuff I have amassed over the years that I carry in my trunk. It has everything from electronic cords, beauty products, vow books, and ceremonial elements to a sound system, battery backup, and more.One day, I was at a wedding getting ready to walk down the aisle to perform a ceremony, and I heard a member of the wedding party on the phone, shouting at the florist saying, 'What do you mean you forgot to deliver the flower leis for the wedding party!' So I went to my Trunk of Wonder and found eight sets of assorted kakui nuts and silk leis. I placed them dangling across my arm and walked in and said, 'Will these work?' The planner’s jaw dropped and a rainbow of smiles erupted in the dressing room where I adorned the couple and each wedding party member with the tropical goodies. The wedding went off without a hitch. The moral of the story is: Have a Trunk of Wonder!"
